Next week is the test to see if we mean business

[1danewhitehouse]

Either way, the game this weekend could be our most crucial of the season, as it will clearly bring high confidence if we win and be a great platform for us going forward even though again the last 4 wins will although have a structure to that, and could cause Scunthorpe to bottle it shall we say, even though it is early in the season, I just cant seem them continuing as they are and hoping they wont, hopefully be another Tranmere from a couple seasons ago.

UTB!

I think they may be better than you are giving them credit for. They finished last season very strong and have recruited fairly well with Josh Morris, Sam Mantom, Duane Holmes, Harry Toffolo and Richard Smallwood having signed the likes of Murray Wallace in January who seems to be doing very well for them. Factor in how much Van Veen has improved as he’s adjusted to English football and they look a very decent side. Van Veen, Madden and Hopper is a good selection of strikers and they have goals in their midfield. I think I predicted they’d finish around 4th or 5th in the summer and now they look like they might do even better.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Fair points but this issue of injuries has really highlighted the very shallow squad depth that we have ...........

The first eleven pretty much picks itself and whilst the current first eleven is possibly strong enough to get around the play-off zone, there's nothing on the bench to change a game.

A pity that our recruitment wasn't earlier and filled a couple more positions with better quality or we could have done well this year.

UTB & FTP

It looks like Brown and Stewart are going to be offered contracts. That means,ouutside of our first choice starting 11 from last Saturday, we could name the following team


-----------------------Long


Brown-------Wilson---Semple---Hussey


Stewart-----Fleck----Scougall----Chapman


-----------------Lavery----Clarke


We also have the likes of Brooks, Whiteman, Ramsdale, Cummings, Reed, Kelly, Gordon, Wright, Hallam, Smith etc. as further back up and McNulty and K. Wallace out on loan. I don’t think many squads at this level have that sort of strength in depth.


We don’t want to get back into the realms of having a huge, bloated squad again having finally made it more manageable.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

The most crucial match changes with the circumstances. I'd say that they're all equally important until at least Christmas. This stage of the season is about laying the groundwork.

That said, a win at any team who currently occupies top spot is always a psychological boost.

But the real test of how much we mean business is how we deal with the supposedly easier sides afterwards. We have yet to convincingly put any game out of sight and are the only team in the top 10 on a negative goal difference.
It's clear that we've made progress and there's no doubt that we will continue to do so, but that higher gear needs to be found in the coming weeks.

Agree with that. Rochdale and Southend are down the bottom end and both took points off us on our own patch, the latter with embarrassing ease. Win, lose or draw Saturday, we really need to put the other upcoming opponents to the sword (Bristol Rovers, Fleetwood, Wallsall, Vale, Shrews) as we’ve then got tough tests against the likes of Bradford and MK. We need really to be taking a minimum of 11 points from those 5 games.

 

[Harry's Game]

A heavy loss, we'll soon be reading about how Posh was luck, and Oxford and Wimbledon are relegation fodder.

I don't think so, we would have to lose two or three on the bounce to raise those sort of things.

I think it's clear the way we have played since Gillingham that we have found a method, especially compared to the games before it.

Regardless of the result on Saturday I think most people will still rightly believe we on the right track for now.

 

[Pinchy]

Fair points but this issue of injuries has really highlighted the very shallow squad depth that we have ...........

The first eleven pretty much picks itself and whilst the current first eleven is possibly strong enough to get around the play-off zone, there's nothing on the bench to change a game.

A pity that our recruitment wasn't earlier and filled a couple more positions with better quality or we could have done well this year.

UTB & FTP

Sorry but that's 99% nonsense. Typical Bladey inferiority complex. It is ludicrous to announce "could have done well this year" after 8 games and recent form of 4 straight wins.

 

[Darthblade]

Sorry but that's 99% nonsense. Typical Bladey inferiority complex. It is ludicrous to announce "could have done well this year" after 8 games and recent form of 4 straight wins.

Its all about opinions mate

We all know the obvious deficiencies in our squad which haven't yet been addressed and the deficiencies which HAVE been improved ( GK, CH, WM ) have taken place after the season has begun and therefore has cost us points.

I would propose ( without sounding like an arrogants fan ) that we SHOULD have beaten both Rochdale and Southend at home if we had adequately strengthened the squad in the summer and it would not have needed too much more to take a point at both Bolton & Millwall. We may only be 8 games in but already we have thrown away 7 achievable points and in doing so have given 3 points each to Bolton & Milwall who are likely to be two of the main combatants for the top two places in May.

I don't advocate that we should have a huge, bloated squad filled with players who cannot compete in L1, like we did last season; a more hungry, strong and pacey squad is needed with quality rather than quantity.

I don't believe that I exhibit "bladey inferiority" so much as down-to-earth realism ....... we don't have a right to escape from our self-imposed exile in this division, we have to earn that right and that means having a squad with the right quality plus some back-up for the inevitable suspensions, injuries, loss of form etc.

My thoughts are that if we can hang on to be around the play-off places in January ....... and somebody can coax the Board to support Tufty to bring in the extra 3 quality signings that we need, then we may just have a chance. But I'm not holding my breath .........

UTB & FTP

 

[Pinchy]

Its all about opinions mate

We all know the obvious deficiencies in our squad which haven't yet been addressed and the deficiencies which HAVE been improved ( GK, CH, WM ) have taken place after the season has begun and therefore has cost us points.

I would propose ( without sounding like an arrogants fan ) that we SHOULD have beaten both Rochdale and Southend at home if we had adequately strengthened the squad in the summer and it would not have needed too much more to take a point at both Bolton & Millwall. We may only be 8 games in but already we have thrown away 7 achievable points and in doing so have given 3 points each to Bolton & Milwall who are likely to be two of the main combatants for the top two places in May.

I don't advocate that we should have a huge, bloated squad filled with players who cannot compete in L1, like we did last season; a more hungry, strong and pacey squad is needed with quality rather than quantity.

I don't believe that I exhibit "bladey inferiority" so much as down-to-earth realism ....... we don't have a right to escape from our self-imposed exile in this division, we have to earn that right and that means having a squad with the right quality plus some back-up for the inevitable suspensions, injuries, loss of form etc.

My thoughts are that if we can hang on to be around the play-off places in January ....... and somebody can coax the Board to support Tufty to bring in the extra 3 quality signings that we need, then we may just have a chance. But I'm not holding my breath .........

UTB & FTP

We don't need 3 quality signings to have a chance. We have that chance with the present squad. It's a tough league but there are no world beaters; certainly not Bolton or Millwall as each has demonstrated already. That's where the Bladey forelock-tugging comes in.

We can look higher than merely hanging around with the present squad for sure. Of course our chances will increase dramatically with 3 quality signings but to suggest that such signings would mean we "may just have a chance" is absurd. It's classic S2 cap-doffing. Of course we should not get carried away by four wins in a row but it's a very good sign and your running off in the opposite direction looks a bit daft, to be honest.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Its all about opinions mate

We all know the obvious deficiencies in our squad which haven't yet been addressed and the deficiencies which HAVE been improved ( GK, CH, WM ) have taken place after the season has begun and therefore has cost us points.

I would propose ( without sounding like an arrogants fan ) that we SHOULD have beaten both Rochdale and Southend at home if we had adequately strengthened the squad in the summer and it would not have needed too much more to take a point at both Bolton & Millwall. We may only be 8 games in but already we have thrown away 7 achievable points and in doing so have given 3 points each to Bolton & Milwall who are likely to be two of the main combatants for the top two places in May.

I don't advocate that we should have a huge, bloated squad filled with players who cannot compete in L1, like we did last season; a more hungry, strong and pacey squad is needed with quality rather than quantity.

I don't believe that I exhibit "bladey inferiority" so much as down-to-earth realism ....... we don't have a right to escape from our self-imposed exile in this division, we have to earn that right and that means having a squad with the right quality plus some back-up for the inevitable suspensions, injuries, loss of form etc.

My thoughts are that if we can hang on to be around the play-off places in January ....... and somebody can coax the Board to support Tufty to bring in the extra 3 quality signings that we need, then we may just have a chance. But I'm not holding my breath .........

UTB & FTP

Any reasonable-minded person understands the points you're making.

Don't feel the need to explain yourself to some perennially repetitive joke of an arsehole who tries to antagonise people for the sake of it.

 

[Weasel]

Not that im in anyway disrespectful to Scunnie as they are doing well and have a tidy little side playing with confidence...but....Utd should be going there in Saturday totally confident that they can give em a right royal hiding. It might not happen but Utd should have the balls to think 'we are the boys, let them shit themselves about us'. I dont and never will accept that Utd should 'settle' for a point in this division before kick off. And if people think my views are arrogant then so be it. I can live with that. In this division i want Utd to be focussed, respectful, and arrogant as they look to steamroller this division. For too long sufc fans have had a bit of an inferiority complex against lesser clubs. Bout time Utd punched their weight and had a swagger about em.

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

For your information
View attachment 19944

I rest my case!

 

[PokerBlade]

I don't think so, we would have to lose two or three on the bounce to raise those sort of things.

I think it's clear the way we have played since Gillingham that we have found a method, especially compared to the games before it.

Regardless of the result on Saturday I think most people will still rightly believe we on the right track for now.

Nah, there's always the reactionaries lurking. It wouldn't overly concern me if we lose by a couple. Lose the way we did against Gillingham last season then then it would be a sign that we're further short than I think we are.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Not that im in anyway disrespectful to Scunnie as they are doing well and have a tidy little side playing with confidence...but....Utd should be going there in Saturday totally confident that they can give em a right royal hiding. It might not happen but Utd should have the balls to think 'we are the boys, let them shit themselves about us'. I dont and never will accept that Utd should 'settle' for a point in this division before kick off. And if people think my views are arrogant then so be it. I can live with that. In this division i want Utd to be focussed, respectful, and arrogant as they look to steamroller this division. For too long sufc fans have had a bit of an inferiority complex against lesser clubs. Bout time Utd punched their weight and had a swagger about em.

I agree that I want the team to have that approach.


But I don’t think it’s wrong for fans to acknowledge that a point would be a decent result away from home against top of the league. If you win your home games and draw your away games then you should finish in the top 2. It will be one of our toughest fixtures of the season (along with trips to the likes of Bolton, Millwall, Braford etc.) so a point would be decent. That in no way means I think we should be playing for one.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Fair points but this issue of injuries has really highlighted the very shallow squad depth that we have ...........

The first eleven pretty much picks itself and whilst the current first eleven is possibly strong enough to get around the play-off zone, there's nothing on the bench to change a game.

A pity that our recruitment wasn't earlier and filled a couple more positions with better quality or we could have done well this year.

UTB & FTP

yep, understand the concerns about the 1st team squad and I suppose we have to be a little lucky in the run up to the JTW.
We might drop lucky and have a training regime that doesn't fuck players up as much as previous managers did - we just have to live in hope that the players stay fit.
Say it quietly............James Wallace played this week...............

UTB